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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. chest — of your body
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. can — a tin
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. root — of a word
  9. vault — a safe
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. chest — a box
  13. root — the cause
  14. deal — to handle
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. chest — of your body
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. deal — an agreement

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com